Winter weather has officially set into southern West Virginia. With this type of weather comes dangerous road conditions. The Department of Highways (DOH) District 9 Head of Maintenance James Moore gives insight into preparations to keep roadways safe.
The Department of Highways begins preparing for winter weather well in advance. Preparations start in late summer/early fall generally around September. All preparations are based on their SRIC plan, which stands for snow removal and ice control.
The first step they take is to thoroughly inspect all of the winter equipment to ensure it is in working order. Reports are written up and filed with the results of the inspection. Any necessary repairs quickly follow.
After all tools have been checked and assessed, they are loaded onto the trucks. After everything is in place, maps are issued to each truck and driver with specified routes. The drivers are then given the opportunity to familiarize themselves with those routes by driving it in good weather. That way they can assess any potential obstacles or hazards and be fully prepared to handle the route.
It is at this point that they begin stocking both salt and cinders. The purpose of these is to melt ice that has already formed on the road as well as to prevent ice from forming in the first place. They begin laying the salt as soon as the roads become wet. Moore says it is better to do it when the road is wet because it sticks to the road rather than bouncing.
Moore cautions drivers that even though they will be putting down salt or cinders right away, “The roads will most likely get slick if it’s snowing heavily or if the temperature falls down around 20 degrees or below. Because at 20 degrees the salt doesn’t work as effectively at melting the snow.” He went on to say, “Drivers really just need to be aware that even though we are out doing our job and we will be out doing the job the roads will likely get slick, but we will continue to work on them and treat them and plow them until they are clear.”
When a winter storm does hit, the Department of Highways automatically enacts their SRIC plan. This means that they change to twelve-hour shifts automatically until the weather event is over. The drivers then take to their routes salting and plowing as necessary. They continue to do this until roadways are clear. They also use these extended shifts to clear the shoulder areas along the roads.
There are a few things that Moore wants drivers to know about the process of dealing with winter roads. First, there is a specific order in which roads are treated.
The first roads to be treated are those that fall under the Priority One category. This includes the highest traffic and highest speed areas such as highways and primary roads.
Next is the Priority Two roads. These are smaller primary roads that still connect communities.
Finally comes Priority Three. These are all remaining roads such as rural back roads and roads that do not connect communities.
It takes quite a bit of time for each truck to travel its entire route because each route is many miles long. Also, once a truck has been through an area, it will be some time before they can get that particular road again. Be patient and know that each driver is covering their route as quickly as they safely can.
Moore stressed that if someone does not need to be on the roads during a major weather event, be it a snowstorm in the winter or heavy rain in the summer, it is best to stay home. If it is necessary to go out, plan for delays and slower speeds. Use all possible caution when driving in bad weather. Slow down and be prepared.
District 9 of the Department of Highways is responsible for all roads in Summers, Greenbrier, Fayette, Monroe, and Nicholas counties.
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